Hopper car construction



Feb. 27, 1934.

W. P. MURPHY HOPPER CAR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Oct. 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 j]; ventar Wiliar pMUIP/Ly Afforney Feb. 27, 1934. w. P. MURPHY I HOPPER CAR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Oct. 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l -1L-- -------h- -b/ Rvezzior I 7V/fer PMurp/zy Aiorney Patented Feb. 27, 1934 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOPPER CAR CONSTRUCTION Walter P. Murphy, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Union Metal Products Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware 2 Claims.

My invention relates to railway cars having discharge hoppers and more particularly to the relation between the hopper door and the edges of the door opening which constitute a door frame.

The object of the invention is to provide the door frame or a part thereof with means which cooperate with the adjacent margin of the door to completely close the opening or at least provide sufficiently close engagement between the door and the frame to retain the lading within the car.

A further object of the invention is to loosely hinge the door to the car or to the door frame so that the hinge will not prevent the door from being drawn into engagement with the door frame.

Any convenient door raising, door looking or operating mechanism may be used with my construction.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a typical plan view of a hopper which, together with other hoppers, forms the bottom portion a railway hopper car.

Fig. 2 is a section through a typical hopper showing parts of the car construction.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings the usual parts of the car are shown, such as center sill 1; cover plate 2; side sill 3 and side wall 4. The hopper is suspended between the center sill 1 and side wall 4 of the car and comprises an inner wall 5 and outer wall -6 connected by the hopper floor 7. The usual hopper .car is provided with four, six or perhaps more of such hoppers and the adjacent hoppers on the same side of the car are connected by sloping walls 8. The hopper opening is surrounded by the hopper walls 5 and 6, hopper floor '7 and upper sloping wall 8 and the portions of these members surrounding the door opening constitute a door frame.

The drawings show the hopper and the door frame member made of an integral one piece casting, which, however, may be made of built up 5 members, but I do prefer to form the door frame of an integral casting to assure a constant relationship between the door and the door frame.

The perimeter of the door frame, or at least a part thereof, is provided with inwardly flared oblique door engaging surfaces 10 and the door 11, which is hingedly supported upon the car body or preferably upon the door frame itself, is preferably provided with outwardly flared oblique surfaces 12 which are adapted to cooperate with the door engaging surface of the door frame to close the door opening. The door is preferably provided with a reflange 17.

In the preferred form the oblique engaging surfaces are only provided at the sides and lower edge of the door opening, but if a more complete closure is desired to haul sand or other fine material, this relationship between the door and the door frame may be provided around the entire perimeter of the door.

I prefer to provide horizontal and vertical clearance between the hinge pin and the hinge butt and/or strap so as to provide the so-called loose hinge so that the hinge will not prevent the door from being drawn into engagement with the engaging surface of the door frame when the door is being closed. A

The accompanying drawings illustrate the pre; ferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

This is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 396,665, filed October 2, 1929, Patent No. 1,888,327, November 22, 1932.

I claim:

1. In a railway hopper, the combination of a hopper door frame having a discharge opening provided with an inwardly flared door engaging surface bordering the entire perimeter of the hopper discharge opening, and a door provided with an outwardly flared oblique surface bordering the entire perimeter of the door adapted to engage the door engaging surface of the door frame when in closed position.

2. In a railway hopper, the combination of a hopper door frame having a discharge opening provided with inwardly flared door engaging surfaces, and a door provided with outwardly flared oblique portions having surfaces adapted to engage the door engaging surfaces of the door frame when in closed position, each of said portions at the sides of the door provided with a reflange.

WALTER P. MURPHY. 

